The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time 3D

Zelda fans... one more thing, we're proud to introduce The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time 3D!

”

— A tweet from Nintendo's twitter page after E3 2011, announcing the game.

The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time 3D is a remake of The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time for the Nintendo 3DS, and is part of the 25th anniversary celebration of the Legend of Zelda series. Developed by Nintendo, with co-development by GREZZO , it was released in Japan on June 16th, June 17th in the United Kingdom, June 19th in America, and June 30th in Austrailia and New Zealand. [1][2]

It was later released as a digital download on the Nintendo eShop October 4, 2012 in Europe and October 18 in North America, and will be released November 1 in Japan on the service. [3][4]

Released in 1998 for the Nintendo 64, the Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time became one of the most critically acclaimed video games of all time. More than 12 years later, during E3 2011, Nintendo announced that "The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time" was to be remade on their new handheld, the 3DS. The game was first announced on Nintendo's twitter page.

Series producer Eiji Aonuma has also said that a 3D remake of Majora's Mask, Ocarina of Time's direct sequel, might be possible if fans show support. [5] In response to this, fans launched "Operation: Moonfall", an organization to show that there was a sufficient enough fanbase to warrant its development. [6] Simultaneous with the announcement of a new 3DS Zelda title, Aonuma stated that he and Shigeru Miyamoto are considering this. [7]

In early 2015, Nintendo had stopped producing retail cartridges of the game, thus making it hard to find the game physically, though the game can be purchased digitally on the eShop.

Contents

Gameplay

Similar to the original game, Ocarina of Time 3D takes place in the vast land of Hyrule. The storyline and most of the gameplay and level design remain the same. However, some changes, such as improved graphics as well as the 3D capability have been made. Some gameplay aspects are modified, such as how one manages to equip items.

The locations and characters remain the same as those of the original title, including villages like Castle Town and Kakariko Village, as well as characters such as Sheik, Ganondorf, and Saria. Temples consist of those seen in the original, such as the Spirit Temple, the Forest Temple, and the often-criticized Water Temple.

The game also features Master Quest, a harder version of the game previously released as a bonus disc with preorders for The Wind Waker for Nintendo GameCube. [8] In addition to enemies dealing twice as much damage, the world is also reversed (i.e., things that were on the left in the normal quest are now on the right, and Link is right-handed rather than left-handed), similar to how the overworld was reversed in the Wii version of Twilight Princess as compared to its GameCube version.

There is also a Boss Challenge Mode, which allows the player to fight against bosses previously battled. [9]

The game's stereoscopic 3D effects allows for more depth in gameplay. For instance, when traveling on horseback in Hyrule field, you may notice Hyrule Castle in the distance or, when aiming an arrow at a faraway target, you may be able to judge the depth, which allows for accurate shooting.

Reception

When it was first released in Japan, the game had a small shipment so as to not repeat the same occurrence that happened with The Legend of Zelda: Spirit Tracks (which was the game being sold in the bargain bins due to too many copies of it). [10]

Being one of the most anticipated Nintendo 3DS games since it was first announced, the game has received extremely positive reviews as with its predecessor.

VideoGamer gave the game a 100, stating "We knew then that Miyamoto and co had made a classic, but it's only now that we can see just how revolutionary Ocarina of Time actually was." [11] Eurogamer also gave it a 100, saying "This game is one of the greatest things that video games have ever achieved." [12] Nintendo Life continued with the 100s, reason being "Beautiful visuals, improved controls, exceptional pacing and engrossing gameplay are all present and correct. The N64 version is an all-time gaming classic, but this is truly the finest edition of Ocarina of Time." [13]

Official Nintendo Magazine gave a 98: "The pacing of the story has a Disney-like quality to it, building moment by moment to the crescendo of its conclusion. It is nothing short of magical." [14] Cheat Code Central, with their 96 score, says "If you fell in love with Ocarina of Time when it originally released, the revamped visuals, new interface, and bonus content will be enough to get you back into the game. Ocarina of Time 3D truly shines on the 3DS, and even though this version is optimized for handhelds, it is definitely the ultimate version of the game." [15]

Nintendo World Report gave it a 95 and stated "If you've never played Ocarina of Time before, run out and buy this immediately. If you're intimately familiar with the game, there's nothing too new in this version to pull you in, though if you ever get the urge to play it again, Ocarina of Time 3D lets you experience all your wonderful memories with a brand new modern feel." [16] IGN gave it the same score, and says "If the graphical boost isn't enough - and let's be honest, we're already seeing some games on the 3DS that look better than this - you're not going to have much else to satisfy your interests. It's clear this game is being released to find a new generation of gamers that are just discovering Nintendo's franchises. The rest of us will have to determine if it's worth re-visiting a Hyrule we've known for nearly 13 years." [17]

Nintendo Power gave it a 95 as well: "As amazing as Ocarina of Time has always been, it's gotten substantially better on the Nintendo 3DS handheld...In my opinion, Ocarina of Time 3D benefits more from 3D than any other N3DS title so far." Game Informer gives at 93, stating "My new favorite way to play one of my top 10 games of all time. Its updated visuals look great in 3D, the touch-screen streamlines inventory issues, and aiming with the gyroscope feels like much more than a gimmick." GameTrailers gives it a 92, reason being "It's a great showcase of the system's 3D capabilities, and a definite must own for a starved library devoid of any real killer apps. There's never been a better time to return to Hyrule." [18]

Joystiq gives a 90 score, stating: "It sets a new standard for modern remakes of past-generation titles, proving that there's absolutely nothing wrong with a publisher capitalizing on gamers' nostalgia, so long as they can find a developer who loves the source material just as much as -- if not more than -- we do." [19] GameSpot had an 85 rating, saying: "Though its roots show through from time to time, the improved visuals remove any barrier of entry that age may have posed. The new elements enhance the core adventure to create the definitive version of this classic game, making Ocarina of Time 3D the best way to embark on (or relive) this landmark adventure." [20]

Soundtrack

The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time 3D Official Soundtrack is the game's soundtrack. As part of the Zelda 25th Anniversary, Nintendo announced during their E3 2011 conference that anyone who registered their copy of Ocarina of Time 3D in Club Nintendo (of the United States and Canada) would be receiving the official soundtrack of the game for free, starting June 19th.

The CD contains 50 tracks from the game, some never released in the original Ocarina of Time's soundtrack. It also includes one orchestrated medley especially recorded for the soundtrack. Included within are the new character illustrations created for the 3DS version of the game, as well as a special message from Shigeru Miyamoto and Koji Kondo. [21]